Point and click adventure games seem to have fallen by the wayside recently. Back in the 90s they were all the rage. Grim Fandango, Monkey Island and a million more used to be the bee’s knees. Well in a day that is filled with first person shooters, and more puzzle games than you can shake a stick at comes Fictorama Studios and their upcoming post-apocalyptic game; Dead Synchronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today.
I have played a little bit of the current Dead Synchronicity demo, and I will admit that I am excited about the prospect of the full game, but that being said there are some issues that really stood out. Luckily there is still a whiles away from the game’s release so a lot of these problems can be fixed up before then.
Like a lot of modern games, Dead Synchronicity is set in a fictional, post-apocalyptic world that has become desolate after The Great Wave – a chain of natural disasters that have absolutely decimated the population and environment. Many survivors are finding themselves stricken with an illness that turns people into delirious, yet telepathic mutants on their way to death. If you couldn’t piece it together, this game is seriously dark. The world is basically a police state and there is just a tonne of violence and gore throughout. I was really impressed with how powerful some of the imagery was in the sections of the game that I played through.
The game’s protagonist, Michael wakes up in this world with no recollection of his past. Yeah…. This is an amnesic character, which has basically become a cliche in recent years. It feels a little like a cop out to have such an interesting and dark world only to have its main character have no memories. It feels like lazy writing and definitely felt like a let down.
When it comes to point and click adventure games, there isn’t too much that can be said about the gameplay. You progress through the world by interacting with objects and people in order to solve puzzles and progress the story. You collect items which are kept in your inventory until their appropriate time and it is up to you to solve the complex puzzles with typically minimal clues. I will admit though that some of the puzzles and interactions weren’t as complicated as I have come to expect from the genre, but that might be because I was playing through an earlier section of the game.
Since the gameplay is relatively simple, I wanted to spend some time talking about the aesthetics of Synchronicity. In its own way, it is absolutely stunning. I’m not kidding when I say that the visuals look like something out of a cool little indie comic-book. The colour pallet is all drab and dull and really sets off the tone of the game perfectly, while the thin outlines really give Dead Synchronicity a really unique look.
While the visuals are stunning, there were a few quirks that really took me out of the moment. The biggest offender was the fact that when two characters were conversing with one another, the same animations and facial gestures would play on a loop. Not only that, but the animations were only a few frames long so the repetition became very noticeable. It is things like this that really take me out of the world that I would otherwise be hugely invested in.
I’m usually a bit skeptical of games that were funded through Kickstarter (or anything that’s been crowdfunded, to be honest) but Dead Synchronicity has me intrigued. While there are still a few hurdles for the developers to overcome before the full release date, there is definitely a solid, enjoyable and mature game here.
Australian game development is a small but growing industry and it is easy to see why. While there are already a few stallions, there is now another horse in the race. That horse’s name is Gamesoft and today they have announced their debut puzzle game; Clockwork.
Players take on the roll of Atto, who alongside his clockwork companion Milli is able to traverse the very fabric of time itself. Using the power to slip through time, Atto will make his way around any obstacle in his path. Not much else is known about ClockWork at this time, other than it has a really gorgeous art style and will be available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
More information about Clockwork will be available in the coming weeks, but for now check out the small teaser trailer for the game below and make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all of the hottest Australian gaming news as it becomes available.
Hero of Many – A visually stunning puzzle platformer across 26 levels.
Rex Rocket – A deliciously retro platformer paying tribute to 8-bit classics like Mario, Megaman, and Metroid.
Catmouth Island – A casual point and click adventure about Mya and her inveestigation of B3 Corporation.
eXperience 112 – Players must guide Lea Nichols through an abandoned boat, but they can only provide tips and advice from behind the boat’s surveillance cameras.
Crunch Time! – Live out the most awful part of video game development in this new card game.
Tiestru – Build your spellbook by building your base in this strategy game.
For the first 24 hours of the sale, Indie Gala’s Every Monday Bundle #48 is only $1.99 USD. Grab your copy at Indie Gala before the price rises in 24 hours.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. It is a bit later than our usually scheduled broadcast time but here we are for this week’s installment of Xbox Newsbeat. If you are unaware of what we do around here, Newsbeat is your one stop shop for all the hottest Microsoft news straight off the presses. So sit back, get comfy and check out this week’s three headlines in all their glory.
Create, Ride and Destroy in the ScreamRide Demo
Last August, we here at Newsbeat shared news of an upcoming game that was part action, part builder: ScreamRide and at the time we knew very little about what it was. Well now Microsoft have released a demo for the game which has answered so many questions.
Looks like ScreamRide will have you building and running your own wild and insane roller coasters, kind of like Roller Coaster Tycoon but on crack! If building isn’t your thing, then jump into the cockpit and guide your cart through insane twists, and turns in countless labyrinths.
You can download the demo for both Xbox 360 and Xbox One, ahead of the game’s Match 5th launch date.
Xbox One March system update: Screenshots and suggested friends now available in preview
Finally! Finally players can take screen shots of their Xbox One games. While video recording has been a feature since the console launched, the ability to take high-def screenshots was out of reach. Well now, thanks to the latest content update, this is no longer the case.
In addition to screen shots, the Xbox One can now servce as a digital set-top box in Australia, as well as a slew of new features (as mentioned last week) being introduced
Xbox App on Windows 10 – February 2015 Feature Summary
The Windows 10 Xbox App is already an excellent companion to your favourite gaming console, but now there have been a few little updates, namely:
Top Navigation Bar. The smiley face J can be used to send feedback about the app to the product team, get access to forums for the Xbox app, and you can now rate the Xbox app.
The user experience for Friends has been updated so that you now see Suggested Friendsunder a Suggestions header at the top of the Friends list, with a See all button to browse the entire list of VIPs on Xbox and People you May Know. Additionally, you can now start typing in the Friends search box to instantly find specific friends.
Small fit and finish items were added to the Settings page.
So there we have it folks, another delightful issue of Xbox Newsbeat. So time to roll over, put your phones on charge and switch off your lamps. Rest easy knowing that you are up to date on all the latest Xbox News. As always, make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Microsoft news as it becomes available.
Overview Since 2012 Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja have managed to produce three different versions of Dead or Alive 5 with their latest and supposedly version being a fully upgraded Dead or Alive 5: Last Round on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and soon the PC. Makings its debut on current-gen consoles and bringing with it some improved visuals and a few new additions is this re-release worth picking up or has the well run dry?
Story Similar to their previous release, Dead or Alive 5: Last Round does not feature an updated story in any way. This means that if you happened to play any of the original release then this means you’ll be treated to the same exact story as before which offers at least some continuing narrative of the Dead or Alive series, DOATEC and leaves room for more to come, but it is worth noting that a number of the characters simply play minor roles and do not have stories of their own.
While this story mode has always been relatively short, it really begins to show weakness this time around. The reason is that we have now seen the introduction of two brand new characters in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round including a few that were previously only available as DLC and they are still not given any exposition.
Considering the fact that Raidou, a boss from the first game that players have long thought dead, makes his return with some metallic enhancements and we now have the introduction of Honoka, a schoolgirl who wields a power similar to Raidou’s and interacts with long standing characters but no extra exposition is provided for why these two are back and what their relationship might be, making the lack of any additional story being included all the more disappointing.
Gameplay Those who have experienced Dead or Alive 5 before should know what to expect with the game’s combat system as it remains the same as before, though it is worth noting that various adjustments have been made to some characters’ moves meaning that not all of your strategies may remain intact in this new iteration.
For those who haven’t tried it out before, the combat system follows a unique four button combat system where Y and B dish out punches and kicks while throws are performed with the A button and players can guard, or perform ‘hold’ counters when timed properly, with X. There is a certain strength and weakness to each of these moves, with strikes being countered by holds, holds being countered by throws and strikes overpowering throws, making the title easy to pick up and play but quite intricate at the same time as predictable fighters can easily be toppled by those with experience.
Once a fighter finds themselves damaged to a certain degree, they will also be able to pull off Power Blows and Power Launchers. Both of these charge moves can only be used to their full extent once per round with Power Blows being able to send opponents flying across the stage, potentially into stage hazards that will cause additional damage to their opponent or, in the case of a Power Launcher, send them flying high into the air to allow for a juggling attempt.
If all of this sounds a bit difficult to grasp don’t worry, as Dead or Alive 5: Last Round sports an extensive tutorial mode and a training suite for every character in the game. These tutorials will run over every aspect of the game’s combat system to help players get the hang of their favorite characters while those looking for more of a challenge may wish to try and complete their character’s highly difficult combo challenge line-up.
Of course those who simply wish to jump into the action will find plenty of ways to do so as Dead or Alive 5: Last Round sports not only Solo matches but Tag matches for every mode except for story. Arcade, Survival, Score Attack, and Online can all be played through in Tag and this system works as fine as before, with players being able to swap between fighters in combat while laying down extensive tag-combos or triggering special tag-grapples.
As for the two new characters exclusively available in Last Round, both Raidou and Honoka feature the same type of playstyle in the way that both characters take moves from other fighters in the roster. Raidou is the faster character of the two while Honoka received more power moves and appears to be the more enjoyable character to play thanks to the fighter’s she is copying instead of Raidou, though Raidou does feature some unique moves of his own. It is also worth noting that there are a couple of new stages included in this release and a whole ton of costume DLC that I will discuss later.
As for the online mode, players will be treated to the same line-up of modes as before, such as Ranked Matches and Lobbies that can be created and customized, or searched for, to fit your style. Of course players can also choose to open themselves up for “Throwdown” matches whenever they play a single player mode and when a fight is found they can choose to either accept an online match or deny it. That being said, at the present moment Dead or Alive 5: Last Round on the Xbox One is currently suffering from a number of bugs and issues concerning the game’s online mode forcing the game to freeze and crash while searching for a Ranked match or leaving Throwdowns on. Interestingly enough lobby matches still work just fine as long as you invite friends with the game to come into the lobby.
Visuals & Audio One of the things that Team Ninja talked about the most when it came to the release of Dead or Alive 5: Last Round was the “Soft Engine” that has been implemented into the current-gen release of the title. This engine is meant to create a more realistic looking skin texture and I must commend them for doing a great job here as the character models in this release have never looked better. The male characters have been given a nice improvement though it is worth noting that the most attention has been paid to the female roster receiving visual upgrades that end up being quite eye catching, especially when combined with the sweat and dirt systems that also seem to have been upgraded to make sure that most characters will have see through outfits by the time a match ends.
As mentioned, Dead or Alive 5: Last Round includes a ton of costumes that were previously only available as DLC for every character on the roster. A large chunk of these outfits are available right at the beginning of the game though there are still a number of outfits that need to be unlocked by playing through the various modes. These outfits range from ridiculous looking to titillating and for certain characters players can even change the type of underwear that they are wearing by changing the ‘detail’ option when selecting the character.
Unfortunately, despite the large amount of costumes available in the game at release, a large number are automatically held back as DLC at launch though players who have previously purchased outfits that aren’t automatically unlocked in the game can import them from the past versions by going through a small process.
The stages themselves look as wonderful as before and seem to have been given a nice touch up while the actual voice work (both English and Japanese) remains the same as before, though I must say that the new characters do a great job fitting. That being said, the Virtua Fighter guest characters still sound off due to the poor nature of their voice work compared to the rest of the cast.
Overall Dead or Alive 5: Last Round brings a lot of content to the table but unfortunately most of this content is something that fans have likely already seen before. If you have only played the original then you will find plenty of brand new characters, stages, and outfits to enjoy but those who have already played Ultimate will find less here than before.
The new characters help expand the roster and give this already bursting title some extra variety while visual upgrade is a nice improvement and a major plus for those who like their characters to show some skin in the new outfits. That being said, the lack of an updated storyline and mechanics that, while tried and true, remain the same as before mean that Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is simply something to tide fans over while they wait for a new iteration.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Indie Gala and Capsule Computers are topping the last Friday Special Bundle with an even bigger bundle. Indie Gala Friday Special Bundle #11 a two tiered bundle packed with 14 indie games.
For a minimum purchase of $1.00 USD, buyers will receive:
Cubot – A deceptively simple puzzle game that will challenge even the smartest puzzle solvers.
Gravity Badgers – A physics based action game starring Captain T Bayback, gravity badger and destroyer of Evil Honey Badgers everywhere.
Gentlemen! – A frantic couch based multiplayer game perfect for battling your friends at your crazy Friday night party.
Syberia – Considered to be one of the games any adventure fan must play, the game stars Kate Walker on a journey to discover Syberia.
For a minimum purchase of $3.49 or more, buyers will receive:
CreaVures – Use your five unique mystical creatures, each armed with a special ability, to conquer 18 puzzle platforming levels.
Kami – A puzzle game inspired by origami, Kami is made with actual sheets of real paper.
Unhack – A visual novel crossed with a puzzle game.
Still Life – Victoria McPherson is on the trail of a serial killer that may have links to a serial killer from her grandfather’s time.
Syberia II – Kate Walker returns for another adventure, this time in search for the mammoths of Syberia.
The Ship: Murder Party – A tense FPS that encourages players to hold their gunfire and wait for the right moment to dispatch their target, but be careful, the hunters are also the hunted.
Beyond Space – A space sim following the adventures of Max Walker.
Point Perfect – Prove why PC is the superior system for first person shooters by demonstrating your accuracy with a mouse in this retro styled title.
Overview Anime that are created to help promote a product, whether it is a game, a light novel or even a card game, tend to be hit or miss. When Sentai Filmworks released Leviathan – The Last Defense, an anime based around a mobile game by GREE, last year it was difficult to imagine that the series would ever get an English dub. However here we are with a fresh English dub of Leviathan – The Last Defense and while we previously found the series to be lighthearted but unremarkable outside of the cute antics of the girls, does this re-release bring more to the table?
Story The world of Aquafall has been a prosperous land where fairies, dragons, dragon-girls, and other magic beings have thrived for years. When meteorites begin falling on the world, strange creatures called Lucasites began pouring out of them with a mindless intent to destroy anything they come across. However in the town of Haruna, very few are preoccupied with the thought of this danger, choosing to send scouts out to investigate, and most of the residents continue to live out a peaceful life.
A girl named Leviathan is one of the few affected by this threat as her beloved older brother left one day and has never returned, though his spear appeared reappeared and is now her only memento. While out practicing her water magic, Leviathan accidentally blasts a fairy named Syrup out of the sky and the tiny fairy takes this as a sign. You see, Syrup is trying to rally forces to fight against the threat the world is now facing by organizing an Aquafall Defense Force and thanks to Leviathan’s magic powers, she seems like a great fit.
When the incredibly strong and athletic Jörmungandr and pampered but skilled with fire wielding Bahamut also meet with Syrup, the group is assembled. Or so it would seem, but the story of Leviathan – The Last Defense is about as heavy as a feather. The first few episodes of the series serve as a way to introduce viewers to each of the three girls as they go about their days generally ignoring what Syrup says and any effort in actively trying to fight against the Lucasites.
In fact the first actual battle they intentionally fight against these creatures is attempting to retrieve Jörmungandr’s battle axe from inside of a swamp dragon’s stomach. Since before then, the only time the girls met with the creatures is accidentally taking them out while walking through the forest. For some time after that every fight is mostly a matter of circumstance as the girls encounter a creature while trying to do something else instead, such as have a barbecue on a beach and even then their only reason to take it down is because it ruined their meal.
There are some moments that the story takes a bit of a serious tone, but Leviathan – The Last Defense never becomes anywhere near as dramatic as it may look. A cave-in with trapped family members may seem as serious as it can get in a show like this, but even then the tension is sapped away from the cutesy attitude of Syrup and the dimwitted nature of the other girls as the danger becomes an afterthought and success is always a given.
It is interesting that the fairy of the show is called Syrup mainly because that is the best way to define Leviathan – The Last Defense, since it is a show that is sugary sweet with little consistency but just enough to keep some form of a premise held together by adorable, albeit one note, characters. These characters are what make the show worth watching for those who want something simple to enjoy as the plot is far from the best aspect, though a few RPG style elements used later on are a nice little touch.
As mentioned each of the characters in the series are overly cute with Leviathan being a quiet and solemn girl who loves barley tea and her missing brother, Syrup, the happy go lucky fairy with a bottomless pit for a stomach, Bahamut, the pampered princess who is always having tantrums about the girls’ situations, and the energetic Jörmungandr who is ready for anything. Bahamut and Leviathan go through a few small developments in the show but nothing ever goes deep or dark in this light-hearted fluffy series.
By the end of the series, Leviathan – The Last Defense does find itself with a very simple resolution, which is more than one generally gets for a series based off a game, but it still is lackluster considering the problem with the Lucasites is far from over and as the girls learn, the danger they pose to the world is a reality that needs to be faced, even if there are plenty of threads left hanging when the credits roll. Even then, viewers will still find plenty of enjoyment as long as they go into the series expecting cute dragon girls doing cute things while occasionally taking on enemies and growing a bit along the way.
Visuals This is a series that thrives on color and moe girls being one of the selling points of the show and Leviathan – The Last Defense pulls that off quite well. The environments that the girls travel through vary decently enough and have some detail, but the highlights are the girls themselves as they are all designed to ooze cuteness at every turn. Of course this does bring with it some problems with odd looking limbs and it is pretty clear from the onset that the show had a low budget and the animation mirrors that fact. The cute aspect of the show also helps eliminate any concern for overt fan-service since, despite there being a beach and hot spring episode, the girls always have scale underwear that randomly appears and disappears depending on their clothing.
There are also magical girl style transformation sequences for each of the three girls as they assume their more powerful dragon-girl forms and these are presented nicely, although they seem to be used to pad an episode’s length at times. It is worth noting that Gonzo has used a decent amount of 3D CG for the series as every Lucacite creature is presented in this form, as well as the larger dragons, making them look incredibly out of place, and at times even the girls are shown in 3D CG while fighting the creatures.
Audio This second release of Leviathan – The Last Defense comes with both a newly recorded English dub as well as the original Japanese voice track. What is just as surprising as this series getting an English dub is that the English voice cast actually does a great job with the characters. Caitlynn French and Brittney Karbowski fit Leviathan and Jörmungandr’s personalities perfectly while Hilary Haag’s Bahamut is also fairly impressive. It is worth noting that Monica Rial’s handling of Syrup is fitting for the fairy but she does have an odd sounding take on the way that the large dragon’s they meet up with over the series sound when they speak through the character.
The background music throughout the series is fairly simple and airy which fits the series, but also makes it forgettable at times. That being said, the opening theme “Hajimari no Resolution” by Yuki Kanno is a very impressive sounding opening theme that tries to present the show as a more serious series than it really is. The closing theme, “Truly” by PASSPO☆, features some nice lyrics but is a fairly standard ending theme for a fantasy series such as this.
Extras Unfortunately this second release of Leviathan – The Last Defense continues to be bare bones which is disappointing as there are extra shorts that could have been included in this release. Instead the only extra features come in the form of a clean opening and ending theme.
Overall With a fresh English dub, Leviathan – The Last Defense still remains the same series as it was before, albeit one that sporting a fresh voice track for those who prefer to listen to their anime in English. This new dub does breathe some extra life into the cutesy humor that runs rampant throughout the series and the various antics that the girls get up to. That being said the series still is little more than brainless entertainment with a light-hearted presentation and a story that doesn’t really go anywhere.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
NIS America has released a new trailer for The Awakened Fate Ultimatum and this time around the trailer happens to focus on not only showing off the randomly generated dungeons that the players will be exploring but also introducing us to some of the cast of Angels and Devils that the player will meet along their way, including the two girls they will have to decide between.
Along with the new trailer a new set of screenshots have also been released and they can be found below. As for the game itself, The Awakened Fate Ultimatum is set to be released in North America on March 17th and in Europe on March 20th.
Today Idea Factory International released a new batch of English screenshots for Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heartas well as a pair of gameplay clips for the title which is set to be released on the PS Vita in North America on February 24th at retail and as a digital download and in Europe on February 27th at retail and digitally on March 4th.
The new screenshots for the title show a few of the event scenes in the game but they primarily show off the Lily Boost sequences that will occur in the game when special skills are used near team mates and strengthened if their bond is high enough. As for the two gameplay clips, they show off Moru’s special move called “Fish Grillin” and Neptune’s “Cross Combo” skill.
The first English teaser trailer for Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance was released by NIS America recently and in it we catch a small glimpse of what to expect from the story, though those who have been following the title already know what to expect. For those who haven’t, the trailer introduces the main character Killia who is aiming to take down Void Dark with vengeance being the only thing keeping him going.
Also announced by NIS America is a release window for the title, which is now set to be released in North America and Europe sometime this fall season exclusively on the PlayStation 4.
